


Spirit And Oxygen: Children Of The Moon

by BrightLotusMoon



Series: Mikey The Lifegiver [14]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Psychics/Psionics, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, April And Mikey Are Telepathic Together, Asexuality Spectrum, Autistic Mikey, Bisexuality, Break the Cutie, Brother Feels, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Comfort Sex, Dead Father Issues, Declarations Of Love, Demisexuality, Donnie Is Tired, Dorks in Love, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, Everyone Needs A Hug, Everyone is Queer, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Just Add Ninjas, Leo Needs Guidance, Little Brothers, Mental Anguish, Mental Breakdown, Mikey Has ADHD, Mikey Is An Iron Woobie, Multi, Neurodivergent Mikey, Pansexual Mikey, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Older Brothers, Psionic Sex, Psychic Mikey, Psychological Trauma, Raph Is Scared, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Sacrifice, Shinigami as a Canon-Divergent OC, Splinter Is A Ghost, Team as Family, They're Mutants So Human Rules Don't Really Apply, Witchcraft, everyone is broken, psionic mikey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 12:19:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16158854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightLotusMoon/pseuds/BrightLotusMoon
Summary: Splinter and Shredder are dead. But this time, both Leo and Karai ended Shredder. Mikey has been psionic and helpful. The Turtles have grown closer thanks to psychic bonding giving them each unique sensory abilities. There is a wealth of new relationship energy as friendships shift and grow. Lurking beyond a home struggling to heal after unending tragedies, something even darker waits to devour what it claims belongs to it. Mikey is both the only one who can destroy it and the one who might be destroyed in trying.Direct prequel to "Children Of The Sun" signifying the end of the Mikey The Lifegiver series, which eventually diverges into The Sunshine Child series because I said so.





	Spirit And Oxygen: Children Of The Moon

 

 

 

* * *

Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while,  
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies.  
Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst,  
Are you gonna drop the bomb or not?

Let us die young or let us live forever  
We don't have the power, but we never say never  
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip  
The music's for the sad man.

Can you imagine when this race is won?  
Turn our golden the faces into the sun,  
Praising our leaders, we're getting in tune  
The music's played by the, the madman.

Forever young,  
I want to be forever young.  
Do you really want to live forever?  
Forever, and ever

Forever young,  
I want to be forever young  
Do you really want to live forever?  
Forever young.

Some are like water, some are like the heat  
Some are a melody and some are the beat  
Sooner or later they all will be gone  
Why don't they stay young?

It's so hard to get old without a cause  
I don't want to perish like a fading horse  
Youth's like diamonds in the sun,  
And diamonds are forever

So many adventures given up today,  
So many songs we forgot to play.  
So many dreams swinging out of the blue  
Oh let it come true.

Forever young,  
I want to be forever young.  
Do you really want to live forever,  
Forever, and ever?

Forever young,  
I want to be forever young.  
Do you really want to live forever,  
Forever, and ever?

Forever young  
I want to be forever young  
Do you really want to live forever,  
Forever young

-Alphaville, “Forever Young”

 

I could lift you up  
I could show you what you want to see  
And take you where you want to be

You could be my luck  
Even if the sky is falling down  
I know that we'll be safe and sound  
We're safe and sound

I could fill your cup  
You know my river won't evaporate  
This world we still appreciate

You could be my luck  
Even in a hurricane of frowns  
I know that we'll be safe and sound (safe and sound)  
We're safe and sound (safe and sound)  
We're safe and sound (Hold your ground)  
We're safe and sound (safe and sound)

I could show you love  
In a tidal wave of mystery  
You'll still be standing next to me

You could be my luck  
Even if we're six feet underground  
I know that we'll be safe and sound  
We're safe and sound

I could lift you up  
I could show you what you want to see  
And take you where you want to be

You could be my luck  
Even if the sky is falling down  
I know that we'll be safe and sound

I could lift you up  
I could show you what you want to see  
And take you where you want to be

You could be my luck  
Even if the sky is falling down  
I know that we'll be safe and sound  
We're safe and sound  
We're safe and sound

-Capital Cities, “Safe And Sound”

* * *

 

 

Of all the ways Raphael could predict his brothers, he couldn’t possibly predict what happened the day after they turned eighteen.

It was mere months after Shredder had murdered Splinter, after Leo and Karai together had beheaded Shredder, after Mikey and April’s telekinesis saved them from the ensuing fire; and the collective nightmares and trauma had woven their way through the family in odd, sharp little ways. Probably the biggest thing keeping them together was Michelangelo’s laughter and continuous encouragement that they keep living their lives as regularly as possible.

The mutation day celebration was somber and gentle, with an extra candle for their fallen master, and the after party had been long and loud.

Their human friends – April, Casey, Karai, and Shinigami – were still sprawled out in the Pit, nestled in blankets and softly chatting. The coffee pot in the kitchen was brewing. Renet had been expected at some point, but _at some point_ and _Renet Tilly the Time Mistress_ were fair-weather friends. In fact, Michelangelo and Shinigami had spent several hours talking about her in flirty tones, causing Leonardo and to raise his eyebrows and sigh. Casey had snuck down two cases of high quality beer – which Leonardo had taken right away, with the comment that he could have at least looked for Kirin lager. Raph had smirked and asked for a beer; Leo opened one with his teeth, sniffed it, then threw it at Raph with the neck up. He did the same with the other ninjas in the room, who caught the bottles perfectly without spilling a drop. Mikey had let his hover before giggling and grabbing it in both hands.

Shini had rested her arm on Mikey’s shoulder as Leo tossed her a bottle, and they’d drank together after toasting to the supernatural. Shini had then pulled Mikey into a long kiss, murmuring that she and Karai had discussed an arrangement, which had made Mikey’s eyes light up. Shini and Karai had then turned to Leo, obviously the new head of the household, bowed, and asked formal permission to date each other while Shini dated Mikey. Leo had merely shrugged and nodded back. Raph had laughed; he couldn’t complain much, he was dating an extraterrestrial salamander creature. Donnie, April, and Casey, newly emboldened, had abruptly come forward to explain how the others had given them confidence to announce their decision to all date each other. Leo had simply widened his eyes, then shrugged again and told everyone to not break each other’s hearts. He had said Splinter would probably just smile and nod. Mikey had said he already was; his ghost was watching them. Casey had jumped in mock fright.

Raphael wandered out to the Pit, rubbing his eyes. He noticed Casey, the only one awake, standing and moving, yawning and scratching his scalp, his hair sticking up wildly.

“Mornin’, numbskull,” Raph muttered.

“Mornin’, asshole. M’ goin’ fer coffee.” Casey stumbled up and out of the living area and toward the kitchen. Raph followed, cracking his neck a few times. He could hear sounds from the dojo; Leo was doing warm-ups.

“Should probably pour a cup for Donnie first or he’ll kill me,” and Casey fumbled for a mug, grabbing two and filling them. Raph took a third and filled it just as his ninja senses picked up a nearly imperceptible shuffling of feet. He took one of the mugs and held it out to the side. “Here, Donnie, come alive.”

“Thanks,” his brother’s sleep-rough voice said. “Thanks, Casey.”

“How’d you know it was me? Could’ve been anyone.”

“Mikey helped us all enhance our senses. I feel things in words now.” Donnie stood there with his eyes still closed, smacking his lips, before taking a long sip of coffee. “My mind just told me, literally, that you poured a mug of coffee for me.”

“Aww, Donnie, your mind must like me.”

“Shuttup.”

“You liiike meee…”

“Casey, I want you to stop talking.”

“Then you should make me.”

Donnie’s eyes opened, and then they narrowed. Raph backed away with his mug, sighing.

Donnie filled that space, lightly growling, and planted an annoyed-sounding loud kiss on Casey’s forehead. “Blockhead.”

“Egghead.”

“You are both dorks who need to fuck outta my way,” Raph muttered.

“We could,” Casey smirked, slinging an arm around Donnie’s neck. Raph sighed; Casey had done a lot of growing up, but apparently he backslid when it came to things he adored. Kind of like Mikey.

Come to think of it, shouldn’t Mikey be up and ready to make breakfast? He and Shini had stayed up late, tangled in each other’s legs, trying to slaughter each other in Mario Kart. He could be asleep, still.

Raph decided to test his new empathic abilities. He felt his red energy stir and immediately search out orange, like a protective creature. Orange seemed to be unmoving, possibly asleep. It was hard to tell. He rubbed his forehead.

“What’s up, guys?” Leo’s voice came from the kitchen entrance. Raph waved a grumpy hello. Leo gave him a half-hearted high three, then said, “I’m surprised Mikey’s not in here, even with the others still sleeping.”

“I think he’s still asleep,” Raph offered. “He was up late.”

There was random shuffling beyond the kitchen, and April’s head poked in. “Morning, everyone! What, no Mikey?”

“Still asleep,” Raph repeated. “I think.”

“Anyone check his room?”

Don shrugged and drained his coffee, then put on another pot. “Usually he gets weird if we just barge in, but he sleeps pretty deeply, so sometimes that’s what has to happen.”

“Don’t drink the whole pot,” Leo said, on automatic. “I’ll go knock.”

Raph cracked his neck and jaw. He gulped his coffee and went out to the Pit, feeling a bizarre sense of _Not Right_ in his gut, like an alarm going off. It was the same sharp detached pain way back when Mikey was first starting to have seizures.

Karai and Shini were on the couch, watching cartoons. They both smiled at him and all he could do was nod back. He felt more and more detached and _something is wrong_.

Leo was a blur. “He’s not in his room!”

Donnie burst from the kitchen. “Guys, are either of you getting this weird feeling?”

Raph was already moving toward the turnstiles. “Something’s wrong,” he gasped out. Don had run for a medical bag and was there before he could blink.

The three of them were out in the tunnel before the humans could move.

Leo seemed to be staring at the air, while Donnie seemed to be listening to it. Raph could only press his hand to his plastron, breathing hard. The tug of _not right_ yanked him toward a particular tunnel, and his brothers were already moving in the same direction.

It was shadowed and eerie, and Raph’s pulse was roaring through his skull.

Suddenly there came a loud sensation: _Take it back._

Donnie froze. “Did you hear that?”

Leo nodded, swallowing.

_I don’t want it, take it. Please, just leave me alone._

“That’s Mikey,” Raph whispered.

Leo took several steps further into the darkness of the tunnel, fists clenching. Raph was shaking.

Leo suddenly made a strange sound; halfway between a sob and a scream. Raph saw him drop to his knees.

“Donnie,” Leo croaked out. “Bring the first aid kit.”

Don rushed forward, and his yell sounded strangled, but it was their little brother’s name.

Raphael managed to move on his trembling feet, and then he saw.

Michelangelo was slumped against the wall and blood was running down his arms and legs. His eyes were staring out and clouded, his breathing shallow. The blade of his kusarigama was bloody.

Raph couldn’t move; he felt coated in ice. Donnie was holding up one of his arms to wrap it, and Raph realized that there were long, shallow cuts from elbow to hand. Leo held up the other arm; same thing. Raph leaned forward and saw exact similar slices on his thighs, from knee to hip.

“I don’t…I don’t understand,” he whispered. “They don’t look like…the kind of cuts that…”

“They’re not,” Donnie murmured. “That’s not what he was trying to do. He was trying to cut something out.”

“Wh-what?”

Bandaging his little brother’s limbs with alarming proficiency, Don shook his head. His voice was monotone, and Raph knew it was shock; Donnie reacted to horrific things with shock, not rage or upset.

Leo glanced up, tears in his eyes.

Raph suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to _get it out, get it away, not supposed to be inside._

Leo bit his lip and stroked their baby brother’s head. “Listen. Listen to him.”

Raph managed to crouch down. Mikey was muttering, over and over, “Take the shadows back, I don’t want them inside me, they’re not mine, just take them, please, it’s too dark in here, take them back, I don’t want the dark in me, just take it all…”

He could feel Donatello’s numbness and Leonardo’s horror. Taking a few deep breaths, Raphael reached out and gathered Michelangelo in his arms. The gauze was already turning red. “Okay, Baby Bro, let’s get you stitched up, maybe we get you out of this nightmare.”

“Hallucination,” Don mumbled as he stood. Raph mentally shrugged. Mikey’s bizarre brain was doing awful things to him, that was all Raph needed to know right now.

He power-walked with his arms full of little brother and he reached the turnstiles before his brothers, and their friends began shouting. Raph ignored them and went straight for the lab and mechanically set Mikey on the infirmary bed. His hands instinctively cupped Mikey’s face and he stared intently into clouded baby blue eyes that looked like turbulent seas in a perfect storm.

“Hey, Mikey. It’s Raph. If you can hear me, you gotta come back. You hurt yourself. I need ya to wake up now, okay? Wherever you are, it’s dangerous. Can you stop whatever you’re doing? Can you come back, Mikey?”

He heard Don, Leo, and April gather around. He didn’t look anywhere but Mikey’s face.

Muscles twitched. From Mikey’s throat, a guttural, growling cry issued, and then he coughed, and then he blinked, and then his eyes were bright, so incredibly bright, and wide, and filled with confusion and pain.

“Where…where…Raph? I…what happened?”

“Don’t know,” Raph said gently. “Found you in a tunnel. You cut yourself up. You were trying to get shadows out of you.”

“Oh.” Mikey looked down at his arms, then his legs. “Oh. Okay. Yeah. That. Okay.”

“Was it a nightmare?” Donnie asked. Raph heard the unspoken words: Night terror. Delusion. Hallucination. Psychic vision.

“I…I think so. But…more?” Mikey looked lost. “I was…dreaming? And not dreaming? And there were voices. And it was dark. And it was all over me. It got inside me, it got under my…my skin.”

“The dark?” Leo wanted to confirm, “the shadows?”

Mikey sat up a little and hugged himself; he looked tiny. “All thick and gross and…and nothingness. It was like it was eating up all the light inside me. All I knew was that it was cold, and it was wrong, and I needed to get it out. I don’t remember leaving the lair. I’m sorry, bros.”

Raph wrapped his arms around him, sitting on the bed for a better grip. “It’s okay, Mikey. You scared us, is all. Just wanna protect you.”

“I don’t need protection, dude, I have powers.” Mikey cuddled, but made a face.

“So do I,” April said, “but I still need someone to watch my back.” Mikey stuck his tongue out at her. She smiled, although it was pale.

Raphael felt a human hand on his arm and he instinctively grasped Mikey tighter, until Mikey said softly, “Hey, Shini-gamer.” He pulled away, and Shinigami hopped onto the bed, her small arms going around Mikey from the side. She propped her chin on his shoulder. “Don’t be so scary, that’s my job.”

Mikey’s whole face softened and his eyes sparkled. “Okay, you can be scary for both of us.” Raph politely looked away when they shared a kiss. He jumped off the bed and made room for Don to continue his examination.

“You know,” Shinigami said, “I come from a family of healers. I’m pretty damn good with a suture kit, I can do this, Donatello. You should sit down, you look like you are in shock.”

Donnie rubbed his face. “Yeah, could be. It’s my default, I think.”

Shini made a shooing motion. “You turtles, go and sit. Someone, make them food. Make them drink water. I got this.”

Raphael narrowed his eyes, reaching for Mikey, but he was looking at the witch in adoration. She gently pushed at Mikey to lie back down. The gauze on his arms and thighs had been soaked through and she began to gather towels and supplies. “Karai, help unwrap these so we can sew him back up. Really I should have been a mob surgeon like my uncle. Wait, no I shouldn’t have.”

Karai smiled and stepped forward as the brothers reluctantly stepped back. April and Casey quietly ushered them out.

* * *

 

****

Donatello paced and fretted, skin still pale, and April tried to keep up, but eventually rolled her eyes, nodded at Casey, and grabbed one lanky arm while Casey grabbed the other; together they pulled Donnie down to a bench and sat on him, then turned to watch Leonardo and Raphael. Raph stood like a sentry at the entrance to the lab, arms folded, green eyes dark and staring at the floor. Leo sat cross-legged nearby, eyes shut. Donnie wasn’t sure if he was meditating or if he was just doing yoga breathing. Donnie’s keen sense of hearing could just make out the sound of Shinigami chanting things, then a pause, then Mikey speaking very quietly. Karai’s voice said something abrupt. Silence.

Karai glided out of the lab and looked around. “Why on earth are you all so quiet? He’s fine.”

Donnie couldn’t stop his leg from bouncing. He needed to _do something._ “We…are ridiculously protective over Mikey, and he doesn’t really like it now that he’s psychic. He’d rather be our protector. It’s weird. We’re not used to it. And he’s _learning_ too rapidly, I worry it’ll overwhelm him on several levels and…”

“Why?” she snapped. “Afraid the great genius would be out-brained by a culture-obssessed lesser-educated hyper kid brother with language mix-ups?”

Donatello stared at her. Karai smirked back.

“Ooooh, burn,” Casey giggled. April elbowed him.

“Not…not exactly, actually.” Don straightened up and set his mouth. “More that his divergence in thinking from the basic average will provide some minimally offensive blocks in his path to soak up knowledge about his predicaments.”

“What, that he won’t be able to figure out the _right_ way to calculate a steep rooftop jump with _telekinesis_ because he sees something shiny in his peripheral vision?”

“Actually…yes.”

Karai frowned and tilted her head. “Well. I suppose I can’t argue with that. But I really hope you don’t intend to even subconsciously make this harder on him. Any of you.” And when she turned, the other turtles scrambled to glare at her.

“Excuse you,” Leo said, “we’ve done nothing but support and encourage him.”

“In your own convoluted ways,” Karai shrugged, sitting and crossing her legs. “He’s very young and young at heart, he doesn’t think the same way you would, Leo. You might say something that could cut at him, twist the wrong way. He might see something as a backhanded compliment.”

Don ducked his head, his eyes moving from side to side. This was…unfortunately true. They should have been past all this. It wasn’t Mikey’s fault that his personality was so loud and encompassing, and it wasn’t Mikey’s fault that Donnie needed quiet calm in the lab, Leo needed steady concentration in the dojo, Raph needed…whatever Raph needed to vent.

Speaking of. The stone sentry pose creaked, joints popping, and Raph shot green fire. “Look. I may have been cranky and rude with Mikey because he was an annoying little shit, but he’s my baby brother and he’s s’posed to be an annoying little shit, and I’m supposed to get riled up so I can vent! I get that I smack ‘im too hard, I can hurt ‘im sometimes. But I fuckin’ love him, okay? So cut that shit out and quit bringin’ up the past like that, _Karai._ ”

“Ain’t sibling rivalry grand?” Mikey’s voice rang from the infirmary, and Raph was the first to run to it.

Mikey was sitting casually, arms and legs wrapped in gauze, skin pale, eyes glittering with trademark humor. Shinigami was sitting next to him, cross-legged, looking like a smug cat.

“Little Brother, do you even know how freaked out we were?” Raphael burst out. “What the fuck was that about?” And he rushed forward to hug Mikey so tightly that Mikey squeaked.

“I said, I don’t know!” Mikey exclaimed. “It wasn’t me! I mean…it _was_ me but it…like…there was a whole different part of me taking over! I could feel it like being there looking out my own eyes but I couldn’t control it.”

Leo and Don frowned at each other. “I’d call it mind control,” Leo said, “but you’re psychic and even if you weren’t it doesn’t work that well on you. So what if it was your own powers? Maybe you were overwhelmed by a…vision, or a feeling.”

“We’ve tangled with plenty of supernatural forces,” Don added, “you could be picking up on something big.”

“Maybe,” Mikey exhaled. “That makes the most sense.” He pouted, arms dangling over his knees. “What if me and April and Shini did a clairvoyant sweep of the city and looked for anything super freaky weird?”

Raph worked his jaw. “So long as you don’t start hurting yourself, I’m okay with that.”

“Dude! I would never! I keep _telling_ you, I don’t _know_ why I did that.”

Something heavy and metal fell over somewhere.

“Sweetheart, calm yourself,” Shini murmured, squeezing his hand.

Michelangelo breathed deeply. He looked up at the ceiling and muttered “Baaahh. I’m sooo tired of this. Wanna keep _doing_ things and the world gets in the _way_ and just…shut up, life. Ugh. Okay. Am I allowed to leave or what?”

Shini glanced over at Karai, whose arms were folded, one shoulder up. “Sure, if it doesn’t hurt.”

Smiling gratefully, Mikey hopped off the infirmary bed and hissed, making tiny grumbling sounds. “Well, that feels like burning, that’s gonna be annoying for a while. I’ll manage. Anyone had breakfast?”

“No,” Leo said, “Are you up for it?”

“Duh, Leo, I’m not an invalid, I can make us all freaking breakfast.” Michelangelo walked out of the infirmary carefully, holding his arms in. Donnie still followed and watched him, because that was what he was supposed to do, but the distinct air of _I’m fine, seriously, back off_ radiating off his little brother was so strong he slowed down.

As Michelangelo made strawberry chocolate crepes and scrambled eggs, Leo leaned against the counter, arms folded. “So, I’ve been thinking.”

“Yeah, you do that a lot!” Mikey grinned, cheerfully adding more strawberries.

Leonardo bit his lip. “Mikey…would you consider becoming my…my second?”

Mikey froze. He carefully put down what he was holding. He took a very deep breath.

“No, Leo.”

“May I ask why not?”

“Too responsible.”

“Pardon?”

Sighing, Mikey pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to his brother. “It’s because my powers have gotten stronger. Don’t lie, it’s all over your mind. It’s because you feel safe asking me to make decisions about where we go while patrolling and what might happen on missions. And I can’t do that. I can’t be that, Leo.”

Leo’s eyes widened. “Mikey…I…”

“I never want a burden like that,” Michelangelo said firmly, grasping the serving plate of crepes and slowly walking to the table. “I never wanted any burden beyond keeping our family happy together. I am very aware that I could take it on, and I am very aware that it could snuff out some of my, well, my light. I’m not like you, big bro. I don’t have a born instinct to lead and take over and made hard choices for an entire team. I have a born instinct to comfort and heal and spread joy and make sure everyone isn’t too traumatized. You’re on the front lines. I’m in the background boosting morale.”

As the others began gathering for the large meal, Leo swallowed audibly. Raphael immediately noticed this and frowned at him.

“Mikey,” Leo choked, “I’m only asking for your occasional input. I don’t expect you to take over a mission or bear any responsibility beyond what you can already handle. You _know_ this.”

Mikey carried the huge serving plate of eggs to the table and gracefully slid the spice shakers next to it. “Leo, I know exactly what you’re saying and I know exactly what you want from me. Raphael is your second. He always has been Donatello is our technical and tech genius wizard, always has been. I’m the comic relief, the morale booster, the trickster, the distraction.” He paused. “Always have been.”

There was complete silence as everyone stood around, not sitting, staring wide-eyed at the two.

Michelangelo looked around at all of them. “My psychic powers are nothing more than support and backup and you know it. They don’t make me better. They just make me different. I don’t have it in me to lead a team.”

Donatello’s jaw dropped. “Leo, you want _Mikey_ to be your _second in command_?”

Mikey’s tiny smile was directed at the ceiling. “See? Dee gets it.”

Raphael shook his head. “Leo, you need ta eat something, you’re not thinkin’ straight.”

Leonardo threw up his hands. “It was a _thought_ , okay? I just figured…now that Sensei is gone, I have more on my plate, and…and…I just don’t want…I…I can’t…”

Like a viper, Mikey’s arms shot out and pulled his oldest brother in, crushing him against his plastron. “It’s okay, Leo. It’s okay. Breathe, brother. We’ve got ya. Your plate doesn’t have to be full, not if we take some of it.”

Leo shakily embraced him. “And you?”

“Leo, my bro, I will do everything I can. Except help you officially lead the team. It’s not my style, yo. Besides, what about that ancient rivalry with Raph here? We’d never hear the end of it.”

Raphael snorted.

Leo carefully disentangled himself from Mikey’s octopus hug. “Good point. Thanks. I guess I didn’t really think it through. Maybe I was desperate. I just miss him.”

“Yeah,” a chorus of voices echoed.

“Plus,” Leo smiled, “all this new romance is making my head spin just a little.”

“Awww,” and Casey bounced over and slung his arm around Leo’s shoulders, “We’ll find you a gal. Or a guy. Or…y’know.”

Leo blinked. “Actually, I don’t really want a relationship. I never did feel sexual desire. I mean, not much. It…doesn’t exactly matter”

Shinigami clapped her hands. “Oh, our Leo is gray-asexual!”

“Gray what?” Leo blinked.

“Guys, the food is getting cold, c’mon,” and Mikey sat, taking his portion. “’sides, it don’t matter. I’m pansexual and polyamorous. I don’t care if Leo spends his life married to ninjitsu. I now pronounce Leonardo Hamato and Ninjitsu married. There.”

“Gah. Whatever.” Leo sat and took his meal and was silent, but he was smiling.

“Oh hey,” Raph said around a mouthful of eggs, “speaking of, hey Mike, I wanted to ask a favor.”

“Mm?” Mikey said around a mouthful of dough and chocolate-drizzled strawberry.

I know I can chat with Mona Lisa through our space helmets and stuff, but d’you think you can, like…connect us telepathically? Or, or do like an astral plane thing where we can meet?”

Mikey tilted his head. “Ummmm….yeah, probably. Probably. I can probably do that.” He leaned back in his chair. “Like a turtle do.” And he grinned.

“Seriously? Holy shit, seriously? Little bro, you are the _best._ I swear, I will be in your _debt--_ ”

“Raphael,” Karai interrupted, “I would not go that far. You know Michelangelo’s propensity for chaotic trickery and mischief.”

Raphal’s wide eyes narrowed. “Good point.”

Michelangelo held up his hands. “My bro, I would never mess around with a great love for the ages. I swear I will do my best get you your connection, no funny stuff.”

“You better.” And Raph stuffed his face again.

Later, Michelangelo and Shinigami, along with Ice Cream Kitty, played Shini’s video games and yelled at the characters randomly. Leonardo decided to patrol the tunnels in case something really was skulking around. Donatello and April disappeared into the lab. Casey and Karai began a kickboxing match in the dojo.

Raphael sat in his room and began to exercise his Mikey-enhanced empathic skills. Mikey had explained that Raph could absorb and disperse emotions he was most familiar with, so anger and passion. But he still had trouble pulling in lighter emotions. He decided to start with his teacher.

Mikey’s aura was so bright Raph had to shield his eyes. The kid was giggling, colors bouncing with…what was that? Excitement? Delight? An undercurrent of satisfaction…about Shinigami. A strong, powerful serenity – ah, there it was. Raph took a breath and began to tug at it, trying to wrap that serenity around himself like a cloak. He tried to stay under Mikey’s radar. He wasn’t sure how strong Mikey’s radar was.

Threads of energy attached to him and he felt his mind relax, emptying of worry. A little more, and the physical tension in his body began to pool out and away.

 _Good job, bro!_ came Mikey’s voice. He startled. _What, you really thought I wouldn’t sense that? You’re a good ninja Raph, but psychic ninja you are not._

Raph grumbled at that, but he felt too tranquil to argue.

Chompy hopped up and put his front paws on Raph’s torso, making his eyes wide. Raph chuckled. “What is it, buddy? You hungry? You wanna go for a walk?”

Headbutting Raph’s plastron, Chompy whimpered, then nudged his head under Raph’s hand. Raph absently scratched him, until Chompy made a grumble of frustration and pawed at the space directly above Raph’s hand. He looked up at Raph, ululated, and stared at empty space again. He then rolled his tongue out straight. It was almost a grin. And it looked disturbingly familiar.

Tilting his head, Raph stared at Chompy’s mouth, grasping for the pattern. In his mind, he heard his little brother’s voice. _Brooo. BROOO! I can feel Chompy’s aura! He’s reaching out to you, Raph! He can sense what you’re doin with your spirit!_

Raph’s head literally knocked back. “What?”

At his exclamation, Chompy ululated a little louder and longer, panting, tongue still carefully positioned over the front of his mouth.

Wait. Mikey often stuck his tongue out when he was going aerial on his skateboard, or when he was barreling into a bunch of Kraang bots, or when they were babies and he wanted—

_Oh. OH. He wants to see Mike! He wants to check out Mikey’s aura?_

“Is that it, boy?” he asked, leaning in close. “You wanna see Uncle Mikey?”

Chompy nuzzled his beak against Raph’s cheek and chirped three times in rapid succession.

Grinning, Raph scooped Chompy up and stood, throwing his door open dramatically.

“Oh, that is completely unfair!” Shinigami’s voice was shrill. “What cheat code did you use?”

“There are cheat codes?” Michelangelo asked.

She groaned lightly.

Raphael arrived and perched on an arm of the couch. Chompy squeaked and slid down his body, prancing across Shini, into Mikey’s lap. He nuzzled his way under the controller and pressed against Mike, plastron to plastron.

“Awww, lil dude, kissy kissy!” And Mikey nuzzled his beak against Chompy’s.

“Hey, did you know he wanted to see you?” Raph asked.

Mikey grinned at him. “A little. Animals give off these vibes.”

“Confirmed,” Shinigami said, not looking away from the screen. “My cat always tells me where she is.”

“Yeah, well, Kirin is a little different than Chompy,” Raph muttered. “She’s not a baby.”

“She’s _my_ baby,” Shinigami said firmly. “But I understand. I do wonder how long it will be before Chompy becomes less of a baby and more of an adult.”

Raphael froze. “Uh. I have no idea.”

Michelangelo smacked his forehead. “Dude, we gotta do some research. What if Chompy gets to the size of, like, a hippo?”

“Well, he’s…he’s not yet, so. Y’know.” Raph folded his arms; he had no idea how to answer that. Then he frowned. “Wait. Will he?”

Mikey shrugged. “I dunno.” Absently, he rubbed the various scars on his plastron.

Raph rolled his eyes; Mikey’s emotions were all over the place when they weren’t centered around Shinigami’s presence. It almost gave him a headache. He watched Shini massage Mikey’s scars almost unconsciously. And then he smiled.

“Hey…hey, Mike? Um. You know how you’ve been helping Leo with all that deep astral plane travel?”

“Mmm,” Mikey murmured, eyes closed.

“Do you really think you could… y’know… connect to outer space?”

A huge happy grin spilled across Michelangelo’s face. “Duude. You really wanna make sure I can connect to Mona Lisa for you.”

Raphael blushed and coughed.

“That is wonderful,” Shinigami said kindly, as Michelangelo began to giggle.

“I can,” Mikey said, opening one eye. “I’ll ask April for help. But I know I can. With time.”

Raph broke into a toothy smile. “Bro, I really would be forever grateful.” He held out his fist, which Mike bumped.

April’s laughter made them all glance up. She was heading to the Pit with Casey’s arm around her waist and Donnie’s arm around her shoulders. Raph rolled his eyes, still smiling, while Shini pressed her cheek to Mikey’s chest.

“Good birthday,” Raph whispered to himself. His brothers still heard it through Michelangelo’s telepathic bond, so their love glomped him and squeezed.

* * *

 

****

It was the middle of the night when Donatello jolted upright, gasping, cold sweat beading on his skin. Words flashed across his mind, angry and scared and desperate.

April’s warm body slid up against his until she was sitting up. “Donnie? Are you okay? Bad dream?”

From the futon on the floor, Casey grumbled.

It took a moment for Don to gather his words to his mouth. “I…no…not a dream. Something’s wrong…it hurts!”

Text sharp like knives, digging into his head, too blurry. Distantly, he sensed a flash of dark color as Leo leaped out of bed and Raph’s fist struck a wall.

Donnie was at his door silently and in the hallway before he realized. His brothers were there, hastily slipping into their gear. Karai and Shinigami were in their pajamas, emerging from Karai’s room.

Wait, his brothers—

“Where’s Mikey?” Leo gasped.

“Oh, hell,” Raph growled.

Donatello blinked, letting the telepathic text settle in his mind. “He ran out. I think he had a vision. He’s chasing something. Or being chased.”

With a low grunt, Shinigami ran, faster than a human should be able to run, and Karai whispered, “she took her ametrine and her sunstone.”

“What’s ametrine?” Casey yawned.

“Amethyst blended with citrine,” Karai said. “Combines the energies of both. And Michelangelo embodies citrine and sunstone.”

Casey’s expression almost made Donnie laugh. He sighed and murmured, “I’m making coffee. Come on, we’re not sleeping anymore.” He stomped toward the kitchen, his mind filled with scrolling words of confusion and faded dreams.

* * *

 

****

The lair was filled with hushed whispers, and April realized she was frantically rubbing her fists along the nylon tights under her shorts. How long had she been doing that? Did it matter? She felt a lump in her throat and telepathically reached out for both her boyfriends. Casey immediately wrapped his arms around her from behind, and Donatello hurried over and grabbed both her hands. She sighed.

“I’m not having this argument again!” Leonardo was yelling directly in Karai’s face.

Karai shrugged and examined her nails. “No one is arguing. Shini is perfectly capable of looking after Michelangelo no matter what emotional state he’s in. And if that state is so dire, he shouldn’t have even left the lair.”

Leo bristled. “Mikey doesn’t need a babysitter, not even his girlfriend.”

“She’s my girlfriend too!” Karai snapped. “And right now I am more worried that your brother might drag her into danger!”

Raphael made a loud long growling noise and paced. “And every second you two spend fighting is another second we’re wasting not looking for Mikey!”

“We’re not fighting!”

He rolled his eyes. “Then just bang and get the aggression out already. I’m going to look for OUR missing brother.” He stomped toward the main stairs. Leo and Karai flushed and glared at each other. Donnie winked at Casey, and April giggled despite herself. Standing from the couch, she tightened her ponytail and hurried after Raph, bumping his shoulder with her fist as they moved through the turnstiles.

“So,” he said, “can you sense Mikey?”

“No,” she sighed. “His telepathy is stronger than mine, so his shields are much stronger. And you saw how he ran out like the place was on fire. He probably has himself locked up tight. Shinigami probably would be the best person to reach him.”

“I just don’t want him to pop his stitches,” Raph said through clenched teeth. “Especially if he’s gonna try that trick again.”

April patted his arm as she sensed the others catching up. “Shini won’t let that happen. And if Renet even manages to show up, she definitely won’t. Mikey has good people to love.”

Raph sighed, ending with a snarl. “Happy freakin birthday to us.”

* * *

 

****

Leonardo bit his lip, watching the colorful psychic trail that Raph and April had left behind.

Donnie had his eyes closed, head tilted. “Tunnel one-eighteen,” he murmured. “I can’t see…but I _know_ …oh shit. Shit. I…I need a first aid kit.” And he ran to his lab.

“Oh, for the _love_ of…” Casey growled.

Karai covered her face with her hands. Leo heard her whimper and watched her aura darken and shift. She didn’t _want_ this. He didn’t blame her. Leo reached out to touch her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s catch up with Raph and April. Tunnel one-eighteen.”

He looked toward the lab, where Donnie was hauling a duffel bag, bright colors pulsing around his head and his hands. Confidence and deep worry, but not fear. Not yet. Leo clenched his fists.

 


End file.
